A CORONER has raised concerns about alcohol sale at stadiums after a fan died when he headed a bin ’as if it were a football’.

Stoke Coroner Ian Stewart Smith today gave a verdict of misadventure following the inquest into the death of John Taylor, 30, of Avallon Way, Darwen, last February 7.

The Rovers season ticket holder, bricklayer and father-of-one had been in the concourse underneath the away end at Stoke City’s Britannia Stadium when the incident took place.

He died from head injuries the next day.

The coroner said Mr Taylor had alcohol and cocaine in his system when he headed the 25-pound bin. He fell to the floor and instantly lost consciousness. Stoke City have since secured all bins.

Other fans were recording the ‘bottle and bin throwing, limbo dancing, general rowdiness and boisterous activity’ on mobile phones and the footage was used as evidence.

Mr Smith ruled against a verdict of unlawful killing, deciding that Ryan Carlin, who threw the bin, had ‘no criminal intent’.

The coroner said: “The title of the television series ‘Men Behaving Badly’ I think sums it up - men, not acting in a criminal sense, but fired up by and under the influence of drink, drugs and the atmosphere they are in, doing daft things which they would not for one second do when stone cold sober.”

Mr Smith said he would be writing to the Premier League, the Football League and the Football Licensing Authority to get clubs to do a ‘stock take’ to make sure nothing was available for misuse. He said he would also be asking clubs to review their alcohol sale policy.

A second letter would be going to Staffordshire Police asking them to have a fresh look at the illegal act of drinking on the coaches.

Following the verdict Mrs Taylor said her son’s drinking was immaterial as he only had a split second to react.

She said: “Our concerns that not enough was done to protect John and other fans were confirmed.”